Coopersville girls soccer team looking to build on last year’s record-win total

COOPERSVILLE – The Coopersville girls soccer team set a school record for wins last year and with plenty of talent returning from that squad the Broncos are aiming for a repeat performance this spring.

A host of talented players return this season highlighted by a pair of returning all-state players. Those veterans helped the Broncos to a school-record 17-5-1 record. The Broncos were dominant in O-K Blue play last year as they turned in a 12-0 record and outscored their O-K Blue counterparts by a combined total of 87-3.

Senior Lexie Vlug and junior Jalen Schoenborn are a pair of returning all-state players that will lead the way this season. Vlug broke the school record with 34 goals last year from her forward position while Schoenborn was the anchor of the Bronco defense from her sweeper position.

“Both Lexie and Jalen are very dynamic players,” Coopersville coach Pat Harig said. “They are also both team captains.”

Schoenborn anchors a defense that returns all its starters. Mackenzie Babcok, Haley Abbas and Katy Hagbom are all returning starters along the back line.

The Broncos did lose some players so some spots need to be filled.

“We graduated five starters so we have to have some other people fill some roles,” Harig said. “So far the players are extremely excited and I think we will do well. The girls are working very hard and I think we are going to be fine.”

One spot that must be filled is the goalkeeper position.

“A question mark for us is at goalkeeper where we graduated our goalkeeper,” Harig said. “We have two players, Taiylor Camp and Stephanie McCarthy, who are working very hard to fill that role.”

Midfield is also a strong point for the Broncos. Kira Budzynski, Emma Buist, Emily Krolewicz, Kailee Stamm, Brooke VanDonkelaar and Tatiana Villegas will all contribute at midfield.

On offense, Bianca Jenkins and Ashley Stanitzek will help out Vlug at the forward positions.

Coopersville was dominant on both ends of the field last season. The Broncos set school records for goals scored with 106 and goals allowed with 16 last spring.

“We should be able to score and our defense should be solid,” Harig said. “Last year we allowed very few goals all season. Our defense should be strong again and we have two girls working very hard to fill the open goalkeeper role. Overall I’m excited about the season, we should be as good or better than last year.”

The Broncos also have a difficult non-conference slate to challenge them this year. Among the teams Coopersville plays in non-league games are Muskegon Oakridge, Hamilton, Wayland, Forest Hills Northern, Forest Hills Eastern and two-time, Division 4 state champion Calvin Christian.

“We are excited about this year,” Harig said. “We are kind of off the map and a lot of people don’t look at Coopersville as one of the top teams in the area but we feel good about where we are at and we are working to keep getting better and better.”